Saturday, August 07, 2010

MANILA, Philippines — With two persons killed while 22 others were wounded, including Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, two lawmakers from Mindanao condemned as dastardly act the blast Thursday night outside the arrival area of the Zamboanga City International Airport.

"We are saddened by the blast in our airport. We are victims of such a dastardly act which violated the very essence of our City we dearly love and protect," House Deputy Speaker and Zamboanga City Representative Maria Isabelle Climaco said.

Climaco said measures to address security and investigate the matter were being done.

"We reiterate our aspiration to bring about development in our city, a hub to neighboring cities and municipalities," she said.

According to reports, the bomb exploded at around 6:20 p.m. Thursday, minutes after the Philippine Airlines flight from Manila arrived at the airport. Tan and the other victims were passengers of the PAL aircraft.

Sulu Representative Tupay Loong also condemned the latest bombing incident in Zamboanga City, saying "this was another cowardly act and un-Islamic that deserves the strongest form of condemnation. Only the most cruel and merciless are capable of such acts that victimized ordinary travelers and their innocent families."

Loong called on authorities to conduct an immediate, thorough investigation on the incident "to determine the real culprits of the bombing, so that justice may be immediately served."

He, however, said that authorities should desist from using "haphazard methods" in investigating the bombing incident.

"The true perpetrators of the crime must be arrested and not any fall guys they (authorities) will just pick up from the streets. The (real) perpetrators must be put behind bars," he said.

The Philippine National Police activated a special investigation task group to assist the crisis management committee now investigating the bombing incident. (Lilybeth G. Ison)